New Air Filter Study

[Jim Allen]

Cadchris brought this up on the oil filter board and I thought it was worthy of discussion here, namely the "Current Air Filter Study" he linked to there from GM Truck Central. While not as good as the Spicer study, it's methodology is pretty good because he did that test essentially the same way the filter mfrs do. The problem is that the results are not comparable to what would be obtained by testing using more accurate equipment using current ISO test standards. Accuracy is suspect but the results largely do reflect some of the differences you can see in the different types/brands of media. The advice not to "follow the flow" is good because that road usually takes you to a place of reduced efficiency.


Quote:
From Cadchris: As Ralphie from A Christmas Story would say: "Aw Fuuuudge".....and I thought I was posting some "Earth Shattering" information here on the forum!

I figured there were a lot of flaws in that study. Did you guys go to that forum and see that other Toyota Tundra Filter Study?
Toyota Tundra Oil Filter Study

In post#2, I mentioned the earlier Amsoil Filters having a 15 micron rating and now they are 20 micron. Does Amsoil have the same ISO 4548-12 Test for their new 20 micron oil filters?

I'm sure the earlier Amsoil Oil Filters are the ones to try and find from their dealer network if anyone still has them in stock since I guess they are more efficient than the new oil filters....right?

I think I remember some mention about the "Spicer Report". The link is now dead but I found the entire report posted again here on this site with graphs:
SPICER AIR FILTER REPORT/TEST

Maybe this should be made as a STICKY!

Here it the orig. info in the dead link recovered by an archive internet service called WAYBACK MACHINE that takes snapshots of old dead webpages and I use often:
Spicer Report Archived. Limited Data.


So I guess the Amsoil filter (TS123) tested was an older "Oiled Foam" filter. I wonder how their new EAO Air Filters would perform?

I know that major media mfgs. in the HVAC industry have emmerged with impressive technology in HEPA media's with very low pressure drops and static pressures so I'm sure that Amsoil's and any others have integrated those raw media's into their auto filter lines. Just a logical thought..........

After reading that older report, and reading this very funny thread who totally trashed the K&N Tech who joined their forum, I'm so upset with K&N that I'm getting them out of all my cars ASAP! It now makes sense that I've always have had high silicate values on my Oil Analysis! "Fudg'in" dirt passing through the K&N all these years on my Cadillac's.....wonderful, "Thanks K&N"!

K&N Corp. Tech Guy gets Trashed on this Forum

Having experience in the HVAC and Indoor Air Quality industry, I've always had a deep down feeling that a car's air intake should be treated similarly like high efficiency filtered air within a dwellings HVAC system to filter out mold spores ect., of course not at sub-micron levels for an engine, but the the thought had occurred more than once with me of how the K&N really performs.


So then.....would this be a more current and/or valid Air Filter Study??? Maybe it should be made as a STICKY.
Current Air Filter Study March 2012



Regards,
Chris

 

[Donald]

If car makers wanted to get serious about air filters, they would put a test button on the filter housing to test the filter without opening it up. That lets in dirt. Although I normally vacuum things in and around the air filter housing.

My Cummins diesel has one.

 

[NHGUY]

Some makers (GMs with Z71 pkg) use a vaccum gauge on the filter housing to externally check filter plugging/restriction.I guess thats because the so called off road pkg is seen as a sandy/dirty environment pkg.

 

[rrounds]

Originally Posted By: Donald
If car makers wanted to get serious about air filters, they would put a test button on the filter housing to test the filter without opening it up. That lets in dirt. Although I normally vacuum things in and around the air filter housing.

My Cummins diesel has one.

I put one of these on every car/truck I have
Here is the Wix gauge I use and its cheap at $13.95
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WIX-24801/
And here are some pic's of one on A Honda S2000
http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z38/rodrounds/Honda Intake/
Works good and I don't have to take the filter off to check it.

 

[05Blazer]

NHGGUY

Is it just the gauge on the lid coupled with a high efficiency filter on the air filter box that differentiates the Z71 package vs. standard 5.3L options?

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: 05Blazer
NHGGUY

Is it just the gauge on the lid coupled with a high efficiency filter on the air filter box that differentiates the Z71 package vs. standard 5.3L options?

My non-Z71 '02 Suburban has a filter minder.

 

[dinkydau]

Allen after reading this test last year I installed an Amsoil EA dry filter in my then new Fusion. Also installed a air flow test button to monitor the flow. Do you think that the Amsoil filter is a true 100k filter with the recomemded 25k cleaning and is it that much better than the paper factory installed filter? I have read the Spicer test but they only tested the Amsoil foam oiled filter which didnt rate that high.
Thanks for your opinion on this. DD

 

[dinkydau]

Excuse me Jim didnt mean to be rude using your last name,very old habit from the military. Thanks again. DD

 

[Jim Allen]

Just don't call me late for chow! ( : < )

Yes, I think the Amsoil is a true 100K filter but if it were me, I would ignore the 25K cleaning recommendation and clean it only when or if the restriction indicator tripped. But I wouldn't actually choose their filter, so the point is moot.

I do think the Amsoil Ea information is somewhat misleading (mainly their cost comparison info, to which I could devote an entire post, but also their efficiency and capacity comparison in general). I also don't particularly like their design... e.g. a cellulose/nanofiber blend. I prefer full synthetic air filters overall, which flow better than cellulose or blended, have more capacity and are ,more resistant to moisture.

IN any case, we'd all (or at least I would be) interested to see how far you go on the filter and what the indicator shows at the time you decide to clean it. WHich restriction indicator did you buy? If it has an actual scale (versus the simple green/yellow/red), what was the initial restriction?

 

[dinkydau]

Jim thanks for your response. Who makes the synthetic filter your talking about? I now plan on running this filter before cleaning until the flow button shows restriction happening. I got the Wix model from Summit as listed above,mounted in the lid of the airbox,clean side of course.
Will keep you updated on how it works out. Has 13k on it now and hasnt moved,not expecting it move with this low mileage.
Dont know what it would have shown with the factory filter as didnt install it until the Amsoil filter went in.
I know what you meam about the price break down that Amsoil quotes,replacement standard filter for it is less than $10 so it would have been cheaper to stick with standard replacememt. I was after better filtering of the finer micron level if Amsoil info can be believed.
Learn something new everytime I visit this forum.
Thanks again DD

 

[Jim Allen]

The application of synthetic filters is spotty at the moment. I haven't made a list, though I probably should before I blather too much more about how great synthetic filters are. You will find them most often in the OEM lines. If you find them in the aftermarket, they will be in the premium lines or in the performance replacement "dry" lines (AEM is one that comes to mind).

And don't get me wrong... the Amsoil IS a great filter. And efficient air filtration at a small particle size is mot definitely an engine life extender. The Amsoil is just overhyped a bit and my personal preference is for pure synthetic fiber media.

I do like the Donaldson Power Core media as well, but it's so different than most filters that it's in a category of it's own. Unfortunately, only a handful of OEM light truck and car engines use them so a person that wants to run one must do a lot of fab work to get it installed.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Cadchris brought this up on the oil filter board and I thought it was worthy of discussion here, namely the "Current Air Filter Study" he linked to there from GM Truck Central. While not as good as the Spicer study, it's methodology is pretty good because he did that test essentially the same way the filter mfrs do. The problem is that the results are not comparable to what would be obtained by testing using more accurate equipment using current ISO test standards. Accuracy is suspect but the results largely do reflect some of the differences you can see in the different types/brands of media. The advice not to "follow the flow" is good because that road usually takes you to a place of reduced efficiency.


Quote:
From Cadchris: As Ralphie from A Christmas Story would say: "Aw Fuuuudge".....and I thought I was posting some "Earth Shattering" information here on the forum!

I figured there were a lot of flaws in that study. Did you guys go to that forum and see that other Toyota Tundra Filter Study?
Toyota Tundra Oil Filter Study

In post#2, I mentioned the earlier Amsoil Filters having a 15 micron rating and now they are 20 micron. Does Amsoil have the same ISO 4548-12 Test for their new 20 micron oil filters?

I'm sure the earlier Amsoil Oil Filters are the ones to try and find from their dealer network if anyone still has them in stock since I guess they are more efficient than the new oil filters....right?

I think I remember some mention about the "Spicer Report". The link is now dead but I found the entire report posted again here on this site with graphs:
SPICER AIR FILTER REPORT/TEST

Maybe this should be made as a STICKY!

Here it the orig. info in the dead link recovered by an archive internet service called WAYBACK MACHINE that takes snapshots of old dead webpages and I use often:
Spicer Report Archived. Limited Data.


So I guess the Amsoil filter (TS123) tested was an older "Oiled Foam" filter. I wonder how their new EAO Air Filters would perform?

I know that major media mfgs. in the HVAC industry have emmerged with impressive technology in HEPA media's with very low pressure drops and static pressures so I'm sure that Amsoil's and any others have integrated those raw media's into their auto filter lines. Just a logical thought..........

After reading that older report, and reading this very funny thread who totally trashed the K&N Tech who joined their forum, I'm so upset with K&N that I'm getting them out of all my cars ASAP! It now makes sense that I've always have had high silicate values on my Oil Analysis! "Fudg'in" dirt passing through the K&N all these years on my Cadillac's.....wonderful, "Thanks K&N"!

K&N Corp. Tech Guy gets Trashed on this Forum

Having experience in the HVAC and Indoor Air Quality industry, I've always had a deep down feeling that a car's air intake should be treated similarly like high efficiency filtered air within a dwellings HVAC system to filter out mold spores ect., of course not at sub-micron levels for an engine, but the the thought had occurred more than once with me of how the K&N really performs.


So then.....would this be a more current and/or valid Air Filter Study??? Maybe it should be made as a STICKY.
Current Air Filter Study March 2012



Regards,
Chris


This whole post made zero sense to me. It's like a random collection of quotes but none of it connects.

 

[Malo83]

Just change your filter annually and call it a day

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: Malo83
Just change your filter annually and call it a day

YEP

Don't need no "filtration gauge" to tell me these redundant things! I think they're crazy!

 

[Jim Allen]

Originally Posted By: Malo83
Just change your filter annually and call it a day

Well, only if you don't know any better.

Sometimes

is an indicator of a simple thought or idea that has been overlooked. Sometimes

is an indictor of a person who has overlooked a lot of thinking.

I can give you five reasons against an arbitrary annual change:

1) It's a total waste. Unless you live in a very dusty dirty area, the likelihood is that the filter has used only a small percentage of its capacity in that time. One statistic I got from an engineer at Parker filtration is that an "average" car takes in 60 grams of dirt in 30K miles. One part number filter I know of has a 300 gram capacity before restriction reaches the engine designer's maximum. Divide 300 into 30,000 and you get a potential of 100,000 miles. If you keep a car 5 years and make an arbitrary annual change, that means you have put five (likely still serviceable) filters into the landfill when you could have tossed away none or one. An improvement of 3 percent efficiency (from initial 95 to 98) cuts the amount of dirt ingested by half.

2) Filtration efficiency improves with dirt loading. When you change the filter too often, you actually allow your engine to ingest more dirt than if you leave the filter in for a longer period. Another good statistic from Parker Filtration is that 90 percent of the lifetime amount of dirt that passes thru a particular filter does so in the first 10 percent of use. Filter efficiency typically improves 2-4 percent in that ~10 percent of use. Lets use the 30

3) Every time you open the airbox, you risk contaminating the clean side of the intake. Sure, you can be careful but...

4) There is no fuel economy gain, as proven by the Oak Ridge Tests of 2009. Air Filters & FE

5) There is only a significant performance gain (and then only at WOT) with a new filter if the old one is sufficiently loaded to restrict airflow to below what the engine needs to make power. It's variable, but the manufacturers typically build in 20-40 percent more airflow capacity in the filter to account for dirt loading. If you install a filter restriction gauge, you know the exact right time to change the filter, whether it's in 5K or 100K miles, so you can avoid a loss of WOT power and also avoid the pitfalls mentioned above.

 

[cp3]

At very least I would suggest changing on the manufacturers recommendation. I was a 1/year changer as well until I realized the manual lists 80000km as the interval. That's a few extra filters for my 25000km/year car.

 

[jmsjags]

Jim Allen's post was amazing. and the fact that you can get a filter minder for most times less than the cost of an air filter makes them an easy way to BOTH save money, and extend the life of your engine.

 

[Colt45ws]

I still check my filter every oil change due to the fact that filter material also makes nice mouse nesting material.

 

[Virtuoso]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I still check my filter every oil change due to the fact that filter material also makes nice mouse nesting material.


This is the only thing I have against putting an air filter in, and never checking it (rodents, etc.). If the mouse chews through it, it's never going to cause a restriction, and you may not know for a year (or more?).

But at the same time, every time you open it up, you run the risk of the filter not sealing right in your air box again (application specific of course).

I think I read in a Ford shop manual, that they reccomended using petrolium jelly around the gasket of the air filter to enhance the seal. I may do this next time I install a filter.

 

[3311]

Jim,
Have you considered putting an article togeter for the "addtional reading" spot on the front page or at least a sticky?